Ledger Looking Back: Highlights of 2022

It’s always fun to get a quick recap of the year as it ends. Here is the Whitehall Ledger’s 2022 year at a glance!

JANUARY

(1/5/2022): Into the Wild Frontier, which features many Whitehall area locals, premiers on the INSP channel in February.

(1/13/2022): The town of Whitehall swears in Mary Janacaro-Hensleigh for another term, along with Council members Bill Lanes (Ward 1), Pat Peterson (Ward 1), and Linda Jung (Ward 2).

• Busy Bee’s Property Management, owned by Jennifer Beebout, opened. Cottage Floral & Gifts, owned by Deborah Dulaney, moved to her home as operating headquarters. Frankie’s Country Mex restaurant closed.

(1/19/2022): Whitehall Trojan Charity Nieskens was appointed to the first-ever MHSA Student Advisory Council.

• William Ulrichny’s photo of a majestic bald eagle was crowned photo of the year for 2021.

• Freed Life Counseling, owned by Lia Francisco, LCSW, opened.

(1/26/2022): The town of Whitehall makes an appeal for help paying Food Pantry’s water/utilities bill, as they cannot legally waive it.

FEBRUARY

(2/2/2022): Cardwell students Kirin Clausen, Aubrey Helton, Raine Clausen, Eon Hunt, and Gavyn Coombe move on to the Jefferson County Spelling Bee.

• The Whitehall Trojan wrestling team finished their home schedule 21-1.

(2/9/2022): The Whitehall School announces its plans to replace flooring, windows, and scoreboards to include shot clocks for the 2022-2023 school year.

• Brendan Wagner joined the elite crew of basketball players to score 1,000 career points.

• Whitehall High School Principal Melissa Robbins is awarded the Department of Defense Patriot Award.

• Trinity M. Klein was charged with vehicular homicide after an August domestic dispute led to Jakob Allen Washburn’s death.

(2/16/2022): GSM tailings reprocessing project becomes a model for sustainable closure.

• Miles Hoerauf takes second and Leo Scafani takes sixth at the State wrestling competition.

(2/23/2022): Montana Shakespeare in the Parks workshop of Bottoms Dream is held at Whitehall Schools, brought to town by Gold Junction Presents

• Whitehall Sustainability Committee announces funding through GSM's new sub-committee is now available.

MARCH

(3/2/2022): Missoula Children’s Theatre brings the Emperor’s New Clothes to life at the Star Theatre.

• Historic Borden’s corner is announced for sale.

(3/9/2022): Governor Gianforte tours Whitehall High School CE Programs and is gifted a walnut cutting board by shop students.

• WMS band had six students who earned Superiors (I) ratings at the Middle School Music Festival, which included: Lilly Schober, Coya Kelley, Max Fernstrom, Cooper Montgomery, Ashlyn Gray, and Chloe Schipman. Miles McLean and Kortni Wilson earned Excellent (II).

(3/16/2022): Pamela Polachi holds a once-in-a-lifetime rock, gem, and mineral show at Whitehall Community Center.

• 2022 election candidates are announced.

• Whitehall Town Council meeting gets heated with Whitehall Fire Chief Joe Granvold over budgets.

(3/23/2022): The Emergency Food Assistance Program begins qualifying many more Montanans under new guidelines.

• Whitehall Little Guy wrestlers competed at the State level with Ryan Raty placing second in his Novice 100 division. Also placing were Dustin Hansen, third place (beginner 53), Caedan Lacey, first place (beginner 56), Westen Wock, third place (beginner 100), Corbyn Wright, second place (novice 90), and Tyse Wilkinson, second place (middle 95).

(3/30/2022): Gold Junction Presents announces the creation of community theatre.

• Jefferson Valley Museum announced its annual meeting in April, with a presentation by Ron Hunt on Waterloo history.

APRIL

(4/6/2022): WHS seniors Marissa Ellison and Lane Wagner were crowned King and Queen of the Whitehall prom.

• Whitehall Chamber’s Easter Egg Hunt was held on Saturday, with over 200 participants searching for eggs on the Main Street Green.

(4/13/2022): Whitehall Town Council talks about fiber internet installation in Whitehall.

(4/20/2022): Cafe 1889, with owners Laurie and Ron Stolba, opens its doors.

(4/27/2022): Whitehall Garden Club presents the second annual Arbor Day Celebration throughout Whitehall.

• The WHS Band brought home a II rating of Excellent at the District Music Festival, while the Choir earned the rating of Superior. The Golden Quartet earned a II rating Superior ratings were earned by the following students: Kyra Oliverson (vocal), Emerson Bourbanis-Carter (vocal), Emily Smith (flute), Gabriel Popalis (vocal), Marissa Ellison (baritone), and Zoey Crain (baritone). Excellent ratings were earned by Austin Bonnet (vocal), Ashlyn Alley (alto sax), and Kaden Weber (clarinet).

MAY

(5/4/2022): Domestic violence and sexual assault aftermath non-profit, We Are HER, held an informational meeting and lounge at the Whitehall Ledger.

• Whitehall Community Library Holocaust project members present a Rescuers/Survivors Fair at the library.

(5/11/2022): Jenelle White, Jamie Reiff, and Bobbi Wagner retain seats in Whitehall School Board elections. Pod Moriarty thanks the community for their support of his run for the school board.

(5/18/2022): Whitehlal PTSA holds first Walk & Talk 5K Run Run.

• Whitehall Transportation receives a grant from St. James Healthcare to install a backup generator.

• At the 5B District Track Meet in Belgrade the WHS Track and Field Team brought home several personal records.

• Whitehall non-profit We Are HER meets and exceeds its $10,000 Give Big goal, which will assist in bringing fifteen survivors to Montana for a four-day retreat in domestic violence and sexual assault healing.

(5/25/2022): WHS graduates fifteen seniors. Haley Briggs is named Valedictorian, while Salutatorian is Brendan Wagner.

• Liberty Place presents On Air, a hilarious radio show featuring comedy and original music performed by residents.

• The 18th annual Black Tie and Blue Jeans event was held at the Copper K Barn.

JUNE

(6/1/2022): Construction begins on Legion Avenue and other streets within Whitehall.

• Jefferson County Commissioner candidates Jim Buterbaugh, Dan Hagerty, Jon Stone Goff, and Mary Janacaro-Hensleigh met for a public forum at Borden's.

(6/8/2022): Whitehall Elementary Principal Kurtis Koenig is awarded the Department of Defense Patriot Award.

• The Rocky Mountain Headstart graduated their pre-schoolers on to kindergarten, while the WMS 8th grade class was promoted; they will be the Class of 2026.

(6/15/2022): Whitehall Community Theatre presents its first play, An Experiment, with a cast varying in age and experience.

• Whitehall Planning Board brings the new Town Pump facility to Council for approval, as well as a laundry list of other items for approval.

(6/22/2022): Mayor Mary Janacaro-Hensleigh suggests the use of town property for Western Legacy Center at the Commissioner meeting. Wortman says WLC is “back to square one” after not receiving an expected grant.

• C&M Circus returns to Whitehall for two performances.

(6/29/2022): Whitehall Chamber of Commerce announces they are looking for sponsors for the Frontier Days rodeo.

JULY

(7/6/2022): A public forum for the proposed playground is slated for July 12th.

• Applications for 2022 We Are HER Survivor Retreat open

(7/13/2022): Gallatin Valley 11U Baseball team wins state title, which boasts Whitehall’s own Tommy Edwards, Tyse Wilkinson, and Wyatt Tebay.

(7/20/2022): Whitehall’s Tax Increment Fund Master Plan has the first draft available for review.

• King Lear is performed on Main Street Green by Montana Shakespeare in the Parks.

• M&M Vintage, owned by Monique Morris, celebrates its grand opening in the former Ropers building.

• Whitehall Frontier Days special section is released for the weekend’s event.

(7/27/2022): Frontier Days 2022 was a huge success! Recaps of the Memorial Rod Run, rodeo, parade and more were featured in photos.

AUGUST

(8/3/2022): Whitehall resident Tim Schober volunteers to become part cyborg by implanting an RFID capsule in his hand.

• Western Legacy Center’s Montana-made gift shop opens.

(8/10/2022): Town clarifies rumors; they did not kill the Rotary Club fishpond fish.

• Rockin’ the Rivers celebrates another year of classic rock music at The Bridge in Cardwell.

(8/17/2022): Whitehall school prepares for the new school year with an updated school, several new teachers, and a new high school principal.

• Construction is finally completed on Legion Avenue and throughout Whitehall.

(8/24/2022): Whitehall daycare project receives a $579,397 grant from the Montana Department of Health and Human Services.

• Pamela Polachi of Settings and Carey Burnside of Arctic Heat are honored at the JLDC Annual Banquet.

(8/31/2022): Jefferson Valley Search and Rescue conducted a mock scenario near State Creek.

• Whitehall Chamber of Commerce participates in three weeks of Reimagine Rural program.

• Whitehall School teacher profiles are featured for the start of the 2022-2023 school year.

SEPTEMBER

(9/7/2022): Jefferson county allocates ARPA funds to support small agricultural producers up to $5,000 each.

• Cardwell School teacher profiles are featured for the start of the 2022-2023 school year.

(9/14/2022): WHS’s Industrial Arts class is gifted new MIG/TIG/ARC welders by General Distributing.

• Cafe 1889 closes.

(9/21/2022): Whitehall’s Tax Increment Fund Master Plan has a public meeting slated for September 22.

• Whitehall Schools celebrates Homecoming Week with a variety of themed dress-up days.

(9/28/2022): JLDC decides to move forward with the Western Legacy Center building purchase.

• WHS seniors Maxine Hoagland and Miles Hoerauf are named Homecoming Queen and King.

OCTOBER

(10/5/2022): Carey Ranch of Boulder was awarded the 2022 Great Montana Ranch Award.

• Patricia Morse, Emily Bruner, and Amy Volz - all WHS alumni - pass the Montana Bar Exam and were sworn in as lawyers.

(10/12/2022): The Whitehall School District begins to consider a 4-day school week.

• Pulse Salon schedules a Girls' Night Out in honor of their ten-year anniversary.

(10/19/2022): Profiles of Jefferson County Sheriff/Coroner candidates Tom Grimsrud and Chad Cross are featured, showing that both have similar stances but plan to enact them differently.

• WMS Football completes their season with a 3-2 record. WMS Cross country has six runners qualifying for state competition.

• Town pushed to move forward with the ambulance district as Town admits there was a mistaken case of responsibility of how to proceed with joining the district once it was voted upon.

• Whitehall’s Screams Come True is recognized as 2022’s best Halloween destination in Montana by Travel Pulse magazine.

(10/26/2022): Jefferson County Commissioner candidates Mary Janacaro-Hensleigh and Dan Hagerty have profiles featured before the upcoming election.

• Whitehall Chamber celebrates the success of another annual Fall Festival.

• The newly restored Lewis & Clark mural for the Jefferson Fresh Foods building will be installed on the 27th.

NOVEMBER

(11/2/2022): The Complete Works of Shakespeare (Abridged) (Revised) is performed by Montana Shakespeare in the PArks at the Star Theatre, brought to own by Gold Junction Presents.

• Jefferson County candidate forum brings a bit of controversy, though lots of agreement and promises to Jefferson County residents.

• Screams Come True brings in over 3,800 people to the Whitehall area in five day period.

(11/9/2022): Whitehall and Cardwell Schools celebrate Veterans Day with school programs on Thursday and Friday.

(11/16/2022): The Whitehall Community Library requests the usage of the old town hall building to expand library services at the November Town Council meeting.

• Whitehall Rotary Club fishpond celebrates its centennial.

• Twelve grants were awarded at the Jefferson Valley Community Foundation’s Short and Sweet grant event.

(11/23/2022): Liberty Place’s annual Festival of Trees event is held in Bozeman and features music and art from Liberty Place residents.

• Whitehall Sustainability Committee opens grant cycle.

• Bloom Wellness moves to Star Theatre, Resolutions Fitness closes its doors, and the Whitehall Ledger announces its upcoming move.

(11/30/2022): Ag Cats and Spoons and Spurs 4-H Clubs decorate Legion Park.

• Cardwell School Thanksgiving Dinner event featured in photos.

DECEMBER

(12/7/2022): Trojan men wrestlers place second, women place sixth, at Cascade tourney.

• Whitehall band and choir hold their Madrigal Dinner, complete with chicken tossing during The Twelve Days of Christmas.

(12/14/2022): At the December Town Council meeting tensions were high regarding the Whitehall Recreation Complex and the Town’s future plans with the facility.

• The Whitehall School District released 4-Day school week surveys, showing strong support for the change in schedule.

• The Chamber holds its annual Christmas event, the Christmas Festival, which was renamed earlier this year from the Christmas Stroll.

(12/21/2022): Whitehall residents finally learn what happened November 28 at the Whitehall Post Office - the facility was involved in the investigation that dismantled a Butte drug trafficking organization with ties to the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico.

• Whitehall Christmas Cantata is held and well received by the community at the Whitehall First Christian Church, under the direction of Janet Heilig.

• The Whitehall Ledger announces its new office at 405 West Legion after nearly four decades at its former location.